You’d think an inspirational speech by Rebecca Addlington would be enough to motivate me into exercise, actually it was, but a full day at a PE conference and then an evening at college means the only exercise I’ve done is walking to and from places – about a mile. Still it’s better than nothing – if only you could log talking about sport.
Back to the gym in the morning
Bring it on!!!

I think I’ve done quite a lot in the last year -I’ll give a full run down tomorrow. But in a nutshell, despite everything that’s come my way I’ve still made it to the end of the year smiling and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve done. I never thought at the beginning of 2012 that by the end of the year I would be cycling daily – the Olympics has a lot to answer for. But then again I didn’t expect to be dancing on the playground trying to break a world record (Olympics again) or Running ridiculous amounts of laps of the school field (sport relief) and then there was the cricket,Jack’s rugby (Yorkshire Champion again) oh and a little race in the Olympic Stadium – what a day. So you can have my full review tomorrow.

In the meantime I hope I haven’t bored you all too much and that you have enjoyed some of my ramblings and rants – have a great new year see you in 2013.

So that’s it seven weeks of awe-inspiring sport is over – now what? Just the parade tomorrow and then London 2012 is no more. Sad really, but it will be even sadder if nothing comes from all that’s gone on. On a personal level I hope this is the year that kids learn there’s more to life than play stations and tellys and take up an outdoor activity or some form of sport – when you work in a school you realise just how little exercise some kids do. If we can’t inspire a generation after all that’s gone on then we never will!

Still Hubby and I continue to be inspired and set off on another off-road bike ride this morning, thankfully we didn’t get lost this week. But we didn’t do the planned route either – I forgot the map. Haw Park will have to wait for another day. It was good tell we were later out today due to the number of walkers or ‘path hoggers’ as I like to call them. They think they own the path – even the cycle ones. Mind you, they don’t move when I’m out running either – I don’t expect them to get off the path but do they really need to walk 4 abreast!!! Once we’d dodged the ‘path hoggers’ the horses got in the way – poor old Boris he does well to get me round the bumpy path without having to dodge the piles of horse shit. There’s all this to do about dog walkers scooping the poop yet horse riders can leave huge piles of smelly shit everywhere – Just saying!

So with the bikes away the conversation turned to the other ‘bike’ problem in the street – the ‘lady of the night’ type bike.The one we knew nothing about until Fridays local paper. Seemingly- if rumours are true- they only live four doors away. Brill – it’s bad enough that we’ve had to put up with the scummy drug dealers setting up camp in the cemeteryacross the road – I’m not kidding – now this. Thing is we live in a nice quiet street – most exciting thing that’s ever happened around here is Tesco’s sneakily taking over the local pub – mind you we didn’t notice that either! So now what? Do we stick up signs saying ‘Happy Hookers Out’ Stand outside shouting ‘we know what your doing’ or just hope and pray that the police sort it out sooner rather than later and hopefully before I have to explain to Jack that there is more than one type of ‘hooker’ in the world!

So that’s it, back to work, the holidays are over – well unless you’re Jack, he’s off until Wednesday. But what a fab holidays it has been and some of the best things we’ve done have been free (some have been mega expensive as well- still reeling from the cost of drinks at Shrek the Musical!) Building swings with rope and catapulting – free, Walking in the Peak District – free. Bike rides by the river – free. Building a den – free. Hepworth Gallery – free. Hyde Park Live – free, Olympic Marathon – free. Trains to and from London – not quite free but well worth it!!!

I don’t really know what the best bit was. The Olympics and Paralympics were fab, the atmosphere, athletes the whole thing – an experience I will never forget for so many reasons. Our traditional 4 days in London to watch the challenge cup was, as usual, great fun and we saw even more of our capital city – still so much we haven’t done though, I’m sure we’ll be back again soon. Then there was our trip to Hathersage, the walking animals, caves, food – we’ll be going back there as well. In all honesty I can’t name a best bit, I’ve loved every minute of it art, play,family time – just what the doctor ordered.

Now reality bites, back to school and for the second time in 12 months into a class room that’s had a re-furb – brill. Still if you’d have seen the place this morning and then this afternoon, you wouldn’t have believed it was the same place. Looks like a busy few weeks ahead – good job I love my job, it’s great to be back .How many weeks to haf term……..

So a three part blog(sort of) today as our late return last night didn’t give me much of a chance to tell you about our amazing day. Yesterday saw my Mum, Jack and I finally make it into the Olympic Park. I say finally but for Jack and I it’s our second visit – see link below. I’m happy to say that despite my worries back in March the Olympic Park well and truly exceeded all of my expectations.

One thing both of my visits to the Olympic Park had in common was the weather – it was freezing. Hence a very hasty visit to Primarni to buy some skinny jeans and a long sleeve top – well, a girl can never have too many skinny jeans! The shopping centre itself is amazing – newly built especially for the Olympics – all four floors of it. I don’t think my mum could believe what she was seeing.

Anyway after a bite to eat it was time to enter the Olympic Park, finally we were in and part of the Paralympics. The thing that gets you before anything else is the buzz about the place. The smiling faces (even in the cold and rain) the diverse range of people and cultures and due to it being the Paralympics the unbelievable range of wheelchairs, false limbs etc being carried around by the soon to perform athletes and coaches. When I was young ( I know it’s a long time ago now!) my grandad had a false leg. The leg weighed more than he did and he rarely wore it as it made what was left of his leg sore. The leg spent more time behind the sofa than in actual use. So to see athletes with prosthetic limbs, carrying their sport limbs around kind of shows how far things have come – I wonder what my Grandad would have thought about blades!

The first venue you come to when entering the park is the aquatics centre, now this has been the cause of much hilarity in the Earnshaw household as Jack thought aquatic meant full of various fish (think sea world!) not aquatic as in swimming – bless him. So people probably thought we were stark raving mad as we stood there laughing hysterically as we explained to my mum what Jack had said. Next to the Aquatics Centre was the water polo…, er what do you call it pool, arena, place… not sure. Anyway after that it was the Olympic Stadium (did I mention I’ve run in there!) time for the now traditional pose – the Mobot, and a cheeky Usain as well – I think my mum got a bit confused with the second one – more Nazi Salute than Bolt – Oh well.

We spent the next couple of hours taking everything in, there is so much to see. Not just stadiums and arenas but gardens and art and…..the list goes on and on. My favourite place, apart from the gardens was the Velodrome – it’s huge and so, well mind blowing really. Cycling was also the first thing we watched albeit on the live screen. But you would have thought we were in the Velodrome, what with all the flag waving, cheering and the singing of the National Anthem. Yes we watched Team GB’s first gold of the Games – magic. The swimming was magic too – how can someone with no arms not only swim but win a gold – these paralympians are something else and it’s not disabled!!

I could go on and on about all we saw and did but I don’t want to bore you. I think you get the point that it was awesome, amazing and so on but more than anything in some ways it was pretty humbling to be there seeing the results of months and years of hard work and training. Even more humbling when you see some of the health issues and obstacles some of these athletes have to overcome and deal with day in day out.

Hopefully parts of the Olympic park will be there for years to come and will eventually be used by the generation it was meant to inspire – it will be a bloody shame if it’s not.

Tired when I woke this morning, just a bit. Asda Big Shop wasn’t really what I wanted to do but needs must, especially as today is officially the last day of the school holidays – where did the six weeks go!! It was a big ‘Asda Big Shop’ as well took me nearly all day to put it away – honest – well in between trying to watch the Paralympics on Channel 4. Trying being the operative word. What with the never-ending adverts and the relentless chatter in the studio there doesn’t seem to be much actual sport on!

In the end I gave up and went for a sneaky 8 mile run, I was pleased to up my mileage (at last) but not happy with my pace – I ran my first mile in just over 8 minutes and then died. I can’t blame my amazing ‘Nike+ Sports Watch’ – (it never works) because I’ve finally sussed it . If you don’t pause it when you have to wait to cross a road or get attacked by a killer dog(more on that in the next paragraph) then the mileage is accurate – means that it shows you’ve run slower than you actually have but you can’t have everything – well unless you’ve got a Garmin!!

So to the ‘Killer Dog’ , my worst nightmare. Bloody thing tried to trip me up and wouldn’t let go of my shoe lace I had a right job getting it off……Alright, alright it was a puppy – a Jack Russell. But it wasn’t giving up my lace without a fight – bless it. Not a bad run really 8.3 miles in 1:19:50 – the fight to get my fitness back is on!!!

Another great day out

On the bike tomorrow

Bring it on

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Another day in London done- this time for the Paralympics. It has been a fab day for many reasons- not least trying to teach a bunch of drunk Aussies the words to ‘On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat’. Full blog tomorrow as its late and I’m shattered.
Great Day out
Full Catch up tomorrow
Bring it on

Well I got some housework done (how exciting my life is at times) but not really the amount I wanted to do. Various reasons, I couldn’t get in the kitchen as the ever persistent rain ( it never stopped) meant I had to turn it into a chinese laundry and I entered that fateful place ‘Jack’s Bedroom’. Needless to say I never made it to any other room. Don’t get me wrong he’s not a messy kid, it just that we are so busy at times that stuff tends to get shoved in his wardrobe etc until I have more time to sort it. Today was that day.

The fact I had to dismantle Lego Wembley (except it said Wembly on the stand – Jack spelt it wrong) didn’t help – that was nearly an hour and a half gone and I’m not really sure why I bothered – he’ll have built something else this time next week. Hopefully spelt right. But it’s all sorted – for now. Shame about the rest of the place – there’s always tomorrow – well not tomorrow – we’re busy.

Yep tomorrow, for the fourth time this holidays I’m London bound – this time the Paralympics beckons. Jack, my Mum and I have finally got tickets into the Olympic park. Excited – you’re not kidding. It’s going to be a great end to a great holiday.

So it’s been a busy morning in London trying to fit in all we wanted to do- we failed! I also know I need to head down here on my own sometime so I can play with my camera in peace. Anyway we made Tower Bridge,Oxford street, and Carnaby Street so not a bad morning.

Now we’re back in Wembley for a quick change before heading to Covent Garden and then the land far far away- we’re going to see Shrek the Musical.

So the Rugby part of our weekend is over and judging by the massive hangovers on show at breakfast this morning a good time was had by all. The rugby lot have headed home and we’re having a couple of days taking in some more of what London has to offer.
Today was shopping day- time to hit the posh shops! We decided to head to the all singing, all dancing newly built for the Olympics, Westfield Shopping Centre. It’s an amazing place. Four floors of shops, cafe’s, restaurants, Cinemas and a casino. Did I buy much- 2 pairs of running socks- what a Saddo!! Mind you I’m not as sad as Jack and Ernie. Maybe it was the viewing of the Olympic Park from the now free viewing platform in John Lewis'(£2 each when the Olympics was on!) that inspired them, maybe it’s Ernie’s rekindled love of cycling. But they now own a replica (!) Velodrome- scaletrix style!! It’s bloody rubbish, make no wonder it was slashed to £20. Yep they spent an hour this afternoon re- enacting the Olympic Cycling. I’m banned, within one lap I’d killed Sir Chris Hoy- straight off the track and into the wall- whoops! Boys and their toys.

I do need to say that although Westfield had an amazing atmosphere, made even Better by the athletes wondering around pre Paralympic games.It’s not the same as heading to Oxford Street, Carnaby Street etc. Think we might have to head there tomorrow. Looks like another busy day, we’ve got Tower Bridge, Covent Garden and Shrek the Musical to fit in!!

So we ended the afternoon with a trip to TGI Fridays. Top tip, don’t go – its crap!! Mass produced food at inflated prices with useless waiting staff – well some of them are. You’d think it would be obvious that when 3 of us are sat at a table then serving 2 meals is not quite right. I know I’ve over eaten in the last few days but I don’t look like I need to skip meals just yet!! Then there was the ginger ‘ I’m on leave from performing arts college’ slightly tubby waiter. ( think overweight Bonnie Langford only camper!)I could just about cope with the crappy American accent- but when he started strutting his stuff to George Michael- well, and his rendition of Happy Birthday- glad it wasn’t my Birthday!

So the spare room is finally tidy (sort of) , not that you’d know if you saw it now. We’re heading to London for the weekend tomorrow (Challenge Cup Weekend – see tomorrows blog) so now the room is full of clothes and a suitcase – mind you looking at the amount of clothes hubby is intending to take I better find a bigger case. Don’t get me wrong, I know when holidaying in England you need to take clothes for every possible weather situation but all we’re missing is the snow shoes and Eskimo hat and we’re sorted ( slight exaggeration but you get the picture) Mind you at least he’s sorted his clothes out I’m nowhere near sorting Jack’s stuff or mine!!

I don’t know where the time went today – well I do. Cleaning, shopping and sorting tickets out for the Paralympics- yep I’ve finally managed to get us tickets for the Olympic park – Wahoo. It is, however a good job I rechecked the times on them before booking the train as I could have sworn I’d booked the morning session. If I hadn’t of checked we would have been on our way back before the session started – whoops, we’re going to the evening session!!!! Can’t wait now, mega excited -what a school holidays we’ve had.

Thankfully Jack has been occupied most of the afternoon putting his £1.50 bit of rope he got from Castleton to use again. This time him and his mate Alice (Alice who the F*** is Alice – she’s just a mate!) used it to build a swing in the tree over the road. Damn good job they made of it too. Three and a half hours of fun for £1.50 – you can’t go wrong. Get your kids outside!!

So with swing building, tidying and ticket booking done it was – time to drop Jack at rugby training and head out for a run with my mate, a bit of a magical mystery tour tonight but they’re the best ones to do sometimes. Loved the way Gill had totally lost her bearings when we came back out onto the road – but at least we weren’t lost and didn’t get attacked by any dodgy animals – just a bit of scary looking mud under a dark bridge – I wasn’t the one who squealed (well sort of squealed) though!! Another six miles logged. I’m hoping to log six more in the morning but looking at all I’ve to do before we board the train tomorrow……Hopefully the packing fairy might visit in the night!!